A Little Restraint
by InSilva
Summary: A little pre-O11 “Body and Soul” verse one-shot. A partner can be there for you for every occasion. Whether you want him to be or not.


A Little Restraint by InSilva

Summary: a little pre-O11 "Body & Soul" verse one-shot. A partner can be there for you for every occasion. Whether you want him to be or not.

Disclaimer: do not own.

A/N: So this time I'm seeking solace in naked!Rusty and chocolate. It's a happier place.

Oh, there's a bit from "Batman Forever" in here. Just because it was on and I liked the line.

* * *

Rusty hadn't come back to the hotel room the previous night though that wasn't entirely unexpected, given the company he had been keeping. The girl had been funny and forward and downright filthy and not at all obviously pretty and Danny could tell that Rusty had been amused, flattered, intrigued and desirous of further conversation outside the bar.

_I thought I might…_

_I thought you thought you might…_

So, no, it was never going to surprise Danny if the euphemistic conversation became such that it tied Rusty up all night. And making a phone call to your partner to explain you were staying out was neither necessary nor necessarily convenient.

Danny had finished his malt and finished the gentle flirt with the girl behind the bar and headed back to the room and stretched out on the bed and channel surfed and then stripped and showered and hit the sack. He'd slept like a baby.

He opened his eyes to morning and to the fact that Rusty's bed had not been slept in. Yawning, Danny checked his watch. Seven. Not too early that Rusty wouldn't be making the most of time spent away. Not too late that Danny ought to be worried. He'd grab breakfast, he decided. Breakfast and a paper and then, if Rusty hadn't caught up with him in the restaurant and pinched his toast, Danny was certain he'd find Rusty cross-legged on the bed - probably on _his _bed – making crumbs with a bag of Krispy Kremes.

There had been no interruption in the restaurant and Danny's toast remained unmolested. And then, when he opened the door, there was no Rusty in the bedroom. And it still wasn't quite time to worry because the girl had looked like she could handle as much as Rusty could throw at her and Rusty…well, Rusty was Rusty. Danny's rational side told him that he was being stupid but he dug his phone out anyway and prepared himself for Rusty to laugh at him.

Rusty's phone rang for a long, long time. A very long time. Danny's fingers were tight and his lips were drawn into a line and if he'd been in the business of tapping his foot, it would have been beating out lines of Morse code by the time Rusty answered.

"Hey."

As soon as he heard his voice, Danny exhaled and didn't realise that he'd been holding his breath. There was a chuckle.

"You're hopeless."

Danny pulled a face. He hated the sentiment getting loose. It provided grounds for mockery and he was certain that Rusty would be reminding him throughout the day. He could already hear _"I'm visiting the men's room. If I'm not back in five minutes, call me"._

"Where are you and when can I expect you back?" Abrupt.

"Mmm. Problem there."

* * *

Danny pushed open the door to the motel room and the smile started forming and by the time he stood at the side of the bed, hands in his pockets, the grin could not be any wider.

"Get over it."

"Not for some time," Danny assured him reaching down and undoing the tightly knotted blindfold.

Blinking, Rusty rattled the handcuffs.

"Do you mind?"

Danny looked down at the phone on Rusty's chest and his eyes asked the question. Rusty sighed and flexed his toes.

"I have great prehensile grip."

"So why didn't you-"

"I could answer. Eventually. I couldn't dial."

"Huh. Not even-"

"Not even." Rusty said darkly and Danny was led to wonder if he'd actually tried. Rusty rattled the handcuffs once more. "Are we through with the jokes?"

Danny's grin sparkled in his face again. "I doubt we've even started."

There was a box of chocolates on the side, its lid off and three or four missing and he helped himself to a hazelnut whirl as he sat on the bed beside Rusty.

"Danny…" There was more than a hint of impatience.

"Sorry." Danny was apologetic and in a swift move selected a strawberry crème and popped it into Rusty's mouth.

"Not what I meant." Rusty grumbled but he didn't spit the chocolate out.

"Tell me," Danny said, finally taking pity on him and starting in on the cuffs.

"Tamsin and I were exploring our bohemian sides."

"Uh-huh."

"Seems she was a little more bohemian than I gave her credit for."

"Right."

_Danny…?_

Danny paused in his work and pushed a truffle in between Rusty's lips.

"Had her wicked way with me. Twice-" One wrist came free. "And-"

_Twice?_

Rusty shrugged and Danny waggled his head in acknowledgement of the Rusty factor.

"And then she grabbed my wallet and took off."

"The bare-faced cheek of it," Danny said with a straight face and Rusty's eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

The other cuff clicked open and Rusty pulled his hand out and sat up, rubbing his wrists. Danny caught hold of his hands and inspected the angry marks the metal had left. He frowned. Rusty had had a damn good go at trying to free himself. Not even the blood had slicked the restraints enough.

Rusty saw his face.

"Oh, believe me. Even stood on my head and tried to push the bed away from the wall. Damn thing's nailed down."

"How long have you been…inconvenienced?"

"Since a little after midnight."

Rusty stretched with a noise of deep satisfaction.

"Hmm. What was your plan B?"

"Well, I thought I'd sit tight."

"Yeah?"

"And see who showed up."

"Right."

"Because about now…"

There was a simultaneous knock, a cry of "Housekeeping" and the door opened. The maid took in Danny and Rusty on the bed and the handcuffs and threw her linen in the air, crossing herself with a "Madre de Dios" before exiting.

"Guess we're enough to frighten the horses," Danny shrugged.

"Yeah." Rusty shuffled to the edge of the bed and threw his legs over. "You more than me."

"You have a real gratitude problem, you know that?"

"Just being honest."

"What else did she take apart from your polite veneer of civility?"

Rusty was headed for the bathroom.

"Can we continue after a comfort break? It's been eight hours."

Danny ate another chocolate and then sauntered over to stand in the doorway as Rusty retrieved clothing and dressed.

"The bathroom?" Danny asked dubiously, not sure he wanted the details.

Rusty grinned. "Tamsin said conventionality was for the timid."

Conventional and timid. Possibly the last two adjectives Danny would have used to describe him.

"What did you say?"

Rusty's lips twitched.

"Actually, talking wasn't top of our list of activities."

He straightened his tie in the mirror and then turned and looked at Danny.

"We do not mention this," he said seriously.

"You mean to Saul. Or Reuben. Or-"

"To anyone. What happens in Philly stays in Philly."

Danny nodded solemnly.

_Promise?_

"I swear."

They walked out of the room, Rusty a little ahead of Danny.

"So tell me," Danny said. "Was it just naked lust? Or were you planning on getting yourself tied down to just one girl?"

Rusty stopped and turned and looked at him.

_What? _

_Danny…_

"We don't count," Danny shrugged. They walked on and he gave it a moment. "Don't worry. I'll show a little restraint."

He earned himself another look and Rusty sighed.

_I can see it's going to be a long day._

_Only for one of us._

Rusty flashed bare teeth at him. Danny's answering grin was much more genuine.

* * *

A/N: Line from film was "the real gratitude problem". Just voiced at the second I hit that part of the story. Figured it was meant to be.


End file.
